• ID 93948677 © Evgenii Naumov | Dreamstime

Dear Reverend,

My sister is a single mom of a 6-month-old baby. She also has an 8-year-old cat whom she's had since he was a kitten. She recently told me she has been thinking of rehoming the cat because she doesn't have time to take care of him anymore. I would hate for that to happen. He's a great cat, and I really want to talk her out of it. What can I do?

Feline Worried (man, 24)

Dear Feline Worried,

I firmly believe that when you adopt an animal, you are making a commitment to be responsible for the well-being of that animal for the rest of its life. However, I do understand that circumstances can change and sometimes, as a last resort, the best thing for the animal is to find it a new home.

That being said, having a baby and "not having time" are two of my Top 10 Lamest Reasons to Give Up Your Pet. Especially a cat.

I've never had a baby, but I know caring for one can really wipe a person out — especially a single parent. Yet cats don't really require all that much additional energy. I have three at the moment. You gotta feed them, clean the litter boxes and give 'em some love. Then, for the most part, they're good to go.

Your sister may have her hands full right now, but you can remind her that caring for the baby will get easier with time. Assuming she's still able to provide that baseline of good cat care, hopefully you can help her realize that — even if her pet is not getting as much of her attention as he used to — he's certainly happier in the only home he's ever known than he would be anywhere else.

Perhaps talking about rehoming her cat is your sister's way of asking for help. What assistance can you offer? Go over and scoop poop a couple of times a week. Set her up with recurring pet food delivery. If finances are an issue, offer to pitch in if you're able to. Hang out with the baby while she has some quality kitty time. A little bit of help could go a long way in making her feel confident about keeping the cat.

You may want to remind your sister that shelters and rescues are overrun with cats, and older ones tend to get overlooked. A shelter is also a very stressful environment for a cat. If all else fails, can you offer to take the cat or help find someone who can? A great cat deserves a great, loving human.

Good luck and God bless,

The Reverend